There was a certain degree of skepticism in Saudi Arabian administration when Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his desire to visit Tata Consultancy Service’s facility’s at Riyadh during his two day visit to the kingdom.

“There is hardly anything to be seen,” was the prevailing feeling among officials.

The facility exclusively run by the women from Saudi Arabia is largely out of bound for males. The interaction of women with men other than family members is forbidden by a religious decree which is strictly adhered to and enforced. After some vacillating, it was finally agreed that Modi would visit the facility and hold a conference with working women.

During his visit there, several women, clad in abayas, spoke about technology, human resource development and the modern world. “You have projected Saudi Arabia’s new face to the world,” a high-ranking Saudi official accompanying Modi said. The Prime Minister later said he was “equally impressed” by the manner in which his hosts conducted themselves. More info